The genres of biography and memoir – not identical. In memoirs, for example, the author examines his life and activities against the background of current historical moments, talks about his life, describing participation in different events of the country and the world. In biographies, it is more about the inner life of a personality, besides biography can write like the man himself (autobiography), and about him. In the biography the person sees his or someone else's life, after many past years, making conclusions and trying to make sense of past events.
Biography, as a genre of literature, occurs in the period of antiquity. The genre was widespread in the middle Ages. For example, Blessed Augustine was established the product of "Confession". In the XVII century printed several books of an autobiographical nature – Anise "the grace of God, descended to the chief of sinner", and later "the Prelude" by William Wordsworth.
One of the first writers of the biographical genre in its modern form think of Rousseau with his book "Confessions". Many of the works of Shakespeare tell about famous personalities that are part of the biographical works. In the modern world, this type of literature writers also pay a lot of attention.
The word memoir has arisen in XVII – XVIII centuries in France, although in the Middle Ages the French historians Joinville, Kommin, etc. have described the historical events and their participation in them. Many marshals of France, such as Mamluk, Flaring left in the history of notes about his life in the Renaissance. The number of memoirs written by courtiers of Louis XIV, hundreds.In the XIX century, the fashion for memoirs has become an epidemic, not just lazy writing.
Biographies & memoirs allow the reader to plunge into the life of another person, to assess what is happening around the event through his eyes (or through his contemporaries) and feel the life of a genius. In our library, you can choose biographies favorite writers of our days, the memoirs of people who lived several centuries ago. Enjoy listening.
